Sixteen TTP militants surrender in Kurran Agency

PARACHINAR: After successful operation by the security forces in turbulent Khurram Agency 16 Tehrik-e-Taliban militants Saturday surrendered before the local political administration, Political Agent Khurram Agency Shahab Ali Shah said in a briefing to media here on Saturday.

The militants, who were part of the Tehrik-e-Taliban and were involved in heinous activities in Kurram Agency, which at one time was considered a strong hold, give up their weapons to the political administration in the presence of media in Agency Headquarters rest house.

The militant of different tribes also confirmed that they witnessed some foreign fighters fighting under their four commanders Abdullah, Muhammad Rasham, Walid and Rafiq Ullah. Those surrendered also confessed that they were involved in different crimes against their local people and fought against the security forces.

The militant, whose faces were covered, told mediamen that they are from different tribes like Masoodzai, Ali Sher, Afridi and Manttak (Orakzai). "We have shun over all past activities and now ready to stand with the people and jawans of the law enforcing agencies," a militant, wished not to be named, said.

"We also want to start our new life because we had indulged forcefully when the TTP militants started their activities in Khurram Agency. We were forced to cooperate and work with them but now we have realized that they are killing own people and not doing Jehad rather it is bloodshed of the innocent people but they called it Jehad which was total wrong approach," the militant said while speaking in Pashto.

"We have seen the militants from other countries fighting against our security forces," one of the militant, who worked with TTP since 2009, said. There were four commanders working in the Khurram Agency who have forces of 70 to 80 militants at his disposal, he added.

Approximately 2500 militant have their criminal activities in Khurram Agency, Political Agent Kurram Shahab Ali Shah said in his briefing. He said two operations were launched in Kurram Agency Operation Kohi Sufaid that started in July-August 2011 and the other one named as Mehmoodzai, launched in November 2011, which is in its culmination stage.
He said a total of 95 percent areas have been cleared and the life in Khurram Agency is back to normalcy. The bazaars and roads were opened now along with schools, colleges, Shah added. to a question, he said, yes there were reports about Fazal Saeed Haqani involved in militancy in Khurram Agency. With the grace of Almighty Allah we also addressed over the sectarian violence with the help of the security forces and elders of the area and peace prevails in the agency, Shah remarked.

The PA also made it clear that all those surrendered will face the trials according to the law of the land. In a question, he said, they would be trialed in Anti-Terrorist Courts. He said the operation was purely started on the demand of the general public and the jawans of the law enforcing agencies successfully get rid of militants in the area. (APP)